Crimping tool with double-ended floating die member



H- W. DEMLER Dec. 1, 1959 CRIMPING TOOL WITH DOUBLE-ENDED FLOATING DIE MEMBER Filed March 22, 1957 INVENTOR. DEn LER HENRYW cnnvrrmo TOOL wirn ooUBnn-ENnnn FLOATINGDIE MEMBER Henry'W. D'emler, Lebanon,-l?a., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Application-March 22', 1957, Serial' N na-r615 2 Claims." or, 81-15 This invention contemplates a tool'forjcrii'npin'g electrical connectors toconductors. It is well known int the art of joining conductors, to employ a solderlessiterr'nrnal United States Patent also slidable in the tracltway which may be pressure forged'onto' the condhctors'. In'- making this connection, it is necessary to deform'the connector onto the conductor through the operation of a pair of dies. 7

An object lofrthis inventionis to. provide a tool as described which will embrace a larger range of conductor" sizesthanexisting tools. a 1 a It' isalso an object of this invention to inorease the range of wire sizes without increasing: the bullrlor size of the tools It is also an object of this invention to provide a plurality of different crimping dies, all of which are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tooll Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a tool embodying principles of this invention;

Figure 2 represents a plan view of the tool as shown in Figure l with the handles open and the dies in a position wherein the larger die set is closed and the smaller die set is open;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the smaller die set closed and the larger die set open;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the handles and both dies in closed position; and

Figure 5 is a view of the slidable die member per se.

As shown in the drawings, the tool contains a head member designated H, which is generally in the shape of an inverted U. The arms 10 and 12 of the head member form a slidable trackway. The bight portion 14 of the U-shaped head forms a die nest having a die surface 16. A member 18 is slidably positioned within the trackway formed by the arms 10, 12. I

As shown in Figure 5 the slidable member is generally in the shape similar to a cross. The upper and lower surfaces of the slidable member are arcuate in a direction away from the center of the member. The upper and lower arcuate surfaces 20, 22 form die working surfaces which cooperate with the die nests. The upper die working surface 20 cooperates with a die nest 16 formed in the U-shaped head. The lower die surface 22 cooperates with a die nest member 26, which formed by the arms 10 and 12.

The driving member 26 extends partially into the trackway formed by the head with the remainder of it -proj'ecti-ng from the trackway; A -pivot 28 at the low'er erid of" the member 26- commonly pivots it toa pair of handles 30 and 32. Each of these handles is also: pivoted to the head H by'means-of links 34-a nd 36, whereby actuation of the handles causes r'eciproca-tionof the driving member 26-; It will be noted that the arcuate working surfaces 20'and22 aswell as: the die nestswhich cohperate with them,- i.e 16 and24, are of substantially different dimensions, whereby they accommodate diften ent size conductors. The lower die nests 24 maybe of a size suitable for crimping conductors within the range of A.W.G. l-6-22, whereas the die nest 1'6 and cooperat'ing die 20 may be'designed" to crimp" conductors from A;W.G. l4-through size eight. Thus it is noted that thetool is designed-to crimpeonductors from size 22 through size 8* without increasing'the bulkof the tool.-

As shown in Figure 5, thedriven 1 member 1 8 has a pair of shoulders40 42," one oneach side." These shouladjacent the die nests 16 and 24. These shoulders 48,

48 cooperate with the shoulders 40 42 on the driven member to limit upward travel. The shoulders 50, 50' cooperate with the shoulders 40, 42 on the driven member 18 to limit the lower travel thereof. Shoulders 48 and 50 are spaced to permit the driven member 18 to slide freely therebetween. However, in one position (Figure 3) the driven member will be actuated by the driving member 26. Thus a relationship is formed between the driven member 18 and the driving member 26, which permits them to be moved simultaneously or independently.

Operati0n.When it is desired to crimp an electrical connector of the range accommodated within the die nest 24, the driven member is positioned in the relationship shown in Figure 2. The member 18 is in its upper position, whereas the driving member 26 is in its lower position with the handles 30, 32 wide open. The conductor and connector are positioned within the die nest 24, and the handles are closed. The driving member 26 is thus actuated until the shoulders 50, 50 abut the shoulders 40, 42 of the driven member. As shown in Figure l the die nest 24 and the die working surface 22 cooperate to crimp a connector therebetween. After the connector is crimped, the handles are again opened and the crimped connection removed.

To crimp a conductor of the range accommodated in die nest 16, the parts are first positioned in the relationship shown in Figure 3. The driving member and the driven member are both in their lower position so that the die nest 16 is open to receive the electrical connector. The connector and conductor are properly positioned therein, and the handles closed. As is evident from Figure 3, the shoulders 50, 50' on the driving member 26 cooperate with the shoulders 40, 42 on the driven member, so that closure of the handles 30, 32 to actuate the driving member 26 causes simultaneous actuation of the driven member 18. The driven member 18 is continually moved along its path of travel, until the connector is crimped to the conductor by the working surface 20 and the die nest 16. The shoulders 40, 42 on the driven member abut the shoulders 48, 48 to act as a stop means, thus assuring the proper degree of crimp-' ing. After the connector is crimped, the handles are opened and the crimped connecticon is removed.

' Figure 4 shows a connector 62, known as a closed end connector. This type of connector has one end sealed and the other end open to admit a plurality of wires. The connector may be fed into the die nest 16 or 24 (depending on the size of the connector) and crimped in the usual manner. In order to position the connector within the die nest, a plate such as shown in Figure 1, designated 64, may be secured to the tool head. The plate is deformed to provide two different sections. The section 66 adjacent the larger die set is spaced further therefrom than the section 68 which is adjacent the smaller die nest. This permits the larger connectors to project through the die nest further than the smaller connectors. I The stop plate 64 may have a stepped construction to accommodate difierent size connectors.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is- I an inverted U-shaped head member forming a die nest,

a trackway on the opposed inner surfaces of the head 30 member, a movable member longitudinally slidable in the head member and having working die surfaces on each end thereof, shoulders on opposite sides of said movable member engageable with the trackway to guide the movable member, a driving member extending into the head member and reciprocably slidable therein and having a working die surface on the inner end thereof, the driving member abutting the movable member whereby they may be moved simultaneously or independently, and means for actuating said driving member.

2. A tool for crimping electrical connectors including a body member having a pair of die members spaced from and facing each other, one of said die members longitudinally movable toward and away from said other die member, means for actuating said movable die membet, a slidable member positioned between the die members and having working surfaces on opposite ends thereof, said slidable member reciprocable along the same path as the movable die member, a trackway in said body member, shoulders on said slidable member engaging said trackway for guiding the slidable member along its path of longitudinal travel, and said movable die member cooperable with the slidable member to form a driving engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 363,901 Marr May 31, 1887 2,364,129 Catlin Dec. 5, 1944 2,590,261 Matthysse Mar. 25, 1952 2,765,688 Evans Oct. 9, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 33,463 Sweden Sept. 4, 1912 

